NaNo Day 6

As promised, I sat down last night with pen and paper and wrote out the Shanhasson emotional arc and themes. The series theme:

Love, the greatest gift of all, and the greatest sacrifice.

I wrote down the lesson from Rose, how Shannari learns to love her warrior and what that means. I wrote the lesson down from Road, how one paid the greatest sacrifice of all for love and still walks in her dreams. What she had to do on the Great Seal at Dalden Bay–how it took not one or two but four bonds to break Shadow’s hold on the earth. Now, she stands in Shanhasson as High Queen and the darkest, grimmest hour of her life looms ahead.

Some of last night’s scene will remain; parts will move to her emotional upheaval after the turnning point coming up, and then some of it will likely be moved to the end as the final lesson of the book and series as a whole. I’ve been laying this groundwork down from word one, day one, in Rose. Blessed Lady above, why have you forsaken me? She’s going to find out that turmoil and distress was nothing, nothing at all.

I picked up the scene today and shifted POV. I tried Rhaekhar’s, and then I tried Dharman’s. Not sure whose will work best in the end, but I can fix that later.

Word count so far: 1275. Finished this section with another 298 words = 1573. Handwrote some INCREDIBLE notes over lunch.

NaNoWriMo total: 1427714575

Snippet:

“I am not the only warrior who loves you,” Khul reminded her gently. “I am not the only warrior who wishes he could carry you away to safety and never let you fight another kae’don, risking your life for outlanders who know nothing of the cost.”

“Gregar–”

Dharman stiffened, his shoulders shaking with rage and hurt. He would have wheeled and strode away, if only he were free to do so, yet honor and his love chained him to her side, even when she wounded his heart.